Transmission mechanism for motor-vehicles.



til l b M. LEEGH.

TRANSMISSION MECHANISMFOR MOTOR VEHICLES. I

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5/1907.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

' llllllllllllllllli l G. M. LEEGH. TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FQR MOTOR VLHIOLES.

Patented 0011.13, 1908.

2 SHEETFSEEET 2.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 5, 190 7.

I IIHIII- .INYENTOI? aawletrflleeciv A TTORNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE,

cnARLns n. LnEcn, or LIMA, VOHIO.

TRAENSMISSION EEGHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

fl o alZ rwhom it mayveoneern:

'Be it known :that '1, JOHAERDES M. iLnncn,

:acitizen of the tUnited States-and .a reeltransmissiomgearing "forxmotor vehicles, and

sisof :such construction that its operation; will have no tendency to throw the driving; shaft out of :alinement and wherein :the :movement of the vehicle both forward and rearward can be readilycontrolled and grad-i ually varied, the transmission passii gfrom a friction to a positive drive on respectively Q shifting the gearing from slow1to:full-speed,i

the reverse taking place on shifting thei gearing in the opposite-direction.

A Reference is tobe diad to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan of the chassis of a motor vehicle,- with one embodiment of my improved transmission gearing applied thereto; Fig. 2 isa fragmentary, sectional view of the same-on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3.is a side elevation of the controlling lever andits connection with the drive shaft.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the rfinames of a motor vehicle supported on wheels 2, the rear wheels being fixed to the outer ends of sleeves or boxes 3 journaled on the rear axle 4:, Also fixed to said sleeves are brake-drums I5 'and an adjacent gear 6 and sprocket wheel 6, respectively, both constructions being shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At the inside of the frames 1 are rigidly fixed brackets 7 each carrying a pair of spaced bearings 8, in which are journaled s iding shafts 9, said shafts having slidably secured thereto a pinion 10 and a sprocket.

Wheel 10*, respectively, the latterbeing connected with the sprocket-wheel-6'f, by a chain 11, and the pinion directly intermeshing with the gear 6, these alternative construe tions for gearing the shafts 9 to the wheels being shown in order that it may be readily understood that one or both forms of connection may be employed if desired.

At tube opposite endsof the shafts 9 are fixed evel friction wheels '12, each carrying a centrally-disposed bevel pinion 13. The

v Specification 9! Letters Patent.

Applicatinnlflled February 5, 1907.

' 'opposite ends of said s'haft are preferably iprovided withllock nuts-14 atithe outside of ithe vhidle (frame :and at !the inside thereof with ball bear'mg xthrust X collars 15 and fixed :oollars $16, spiral springs Th7 surrounding the shaft and interposed betweenthe thrust and fixed :collar of each, rrespectively. The springs and ball bearing collars :are preferably inclosed and protected by tubular casings 18.

E19 indicates a imotorihaving a drive shaft "20 which is, slidablyiconneotetl with a driving shaft '21 through ithe intermediary of :a universal joint 22, one "member of which is provided with a socket 23, .in which :the 21 is slidably splined. The opposite end o'f the sha!ft-21 is j ournaled in a suitable -bearing, preferably in the mature of a socket '24, formed :as a part 101' otherwise affixed to themxle 4'. =Fixed to the driving shaft 121 between the friction wheels 12, are opposed bevel friction wheels 25; designed to contact with the wheels 12 in driving the vehicle in either direction. The friction 'wheel 25 which is intended to (hire the Vehicleforward, carries a bevel pinion 26 on its inner face, the latter being arla'pted to be intermeshed with the pinibns 13 after the vehicle has attained considerable speed through the frictional contact bf the wheels 12 and 25. It is thus apparent from this construction, on reciprocating the shaft 21, the forward and rearward movement of the vehicle can be readily controlled and the. speed thereof gradually varied. On driving the machine forward, the initialmovement is frictional.

For reciprocating the shaft 21 and thereby controlling the movement of the vehicle,

is provideda controlling lever 27 arranged at one side of'the frame land fixed to a shaft 28. Thelever, in its preferred form, is constructed withthe usual locking mechanism 29 engaging with a notched quadrant 30. The inner end of the shaft 28 carriesa .fixed arm-31 pivotally connected to a ball bearing thrust collar 32, as best shown in i i llthough I have shown and described the ,preferred construction and arrangement of my improved transmission gear as applied to a motor vehicle, it is obvious that the same may be materially modified withiii 'the scope of the appended claims; and I consider that I am entitled to such changes as fall within the limits thereof. i

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a driving shaft, shaft-shaving opposed bevel wheels at the opposite sides of the driving shaft, means providing for a lateral, yielding movementof said shafts, opposed bevel wheels fixed to the driving shaft between said first-named wheels, and means .for reciprocating the driving shaft.

2. The combination of a driving shaft, shafts having opposed bevel friction wheels at the oppositesides of the driving shaft,-

driving shaft. 25

3. The combination of a driving shaft, shafts having opposed bevel friction wheels provided with opposed bevel pinions centrally arranged, opposed bevel friction wheels fixed to'the driving shaft between said first-named friction wheels, and a bevel pinion fixed to the driving shaft adapted to intermesh with said first-named pinions.

4. The combination of a driving shaft, shafts having opposed bevel friction wheels provided with opposed bevel pinionscentrally arranged, means providing for' the lateral, yielding separation of said friction wheels and pin'ions, 0 posed bevel friction wheels fixed to the riving shaft between said first-named friction wheels and a bevel pinion fixed to the driving shaft adapted to intermesh with said first-named pinions.

5. A transmission gearing including a slidingly mounted driving shaft, a, laterally yielding driven shaft arranged at an angle to the driving shaft, and means controlled by the sliding movement of the driving shaft to successively frictionally and positively drive said driven shaft from the driving shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES M. LEECH.

I Witnesses:

STEPHEN KALIHE J OHN A. Mona 

